How to use a ULN - patching, set up, etc....

[toysun]

Man and Woman, I'm so excited... I just ordered a ULN 2. Big step for me to finally accept reality and stop buying prosumer gear - it's going to replace (or complement) a Firebox, which replaced an 828.... get my drift?

 

I've already downloaded and started reading the user guide, and I'm trying to get my head around how I'll use this with my workflow and logic.

 

Ideally, I'd like to be able to sit at my computer desk, and be able to record my one external synth OR a mono or stereo microphone set, without having to get up out of my chair... i.e. no physical repatching. Possible?

 

Of course, that was the cool thing about multi in interfaces, even though I rarely recorded a band, I had a bunch of things pre-patched and then I just picked inputs from Logic's drop down menu in the channel strip.

 

The way I understand the ULN, if I use the XLR for the mic pre, then I've literally physically "blocked" entrance to the trs DI in. And... the insert return, another possible physical input,

would disconnect the pre. Am I going to become a patch monkey?

 

I have ways to solve this, obviously, I've got a patchbay and mixers, but I want my mics to go straight into the ULN, right?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

thanks,

 

John

[Vidius]

Hi, welcome to the ULN2 club...

 

Actually, you've answered all of your own questions.

Unless your synth has a spdif output, there's no way to leave both your synth and a mic (or2) connected to the anaolgue ins.

 

And it woud be kind of a shame to route both through a cheap mixer...

Bummer.

 

But I will tell you; the quality of the ULN pre's and converters will have you patching with a big grin on your face...

[toysun]

with pleasure.

 

thanks,

 

John

[Atreyu]

while were on the subject......i have been wondering ever since i got my uln2 how i should be using the trim and gain?

should i have the trim set at zero and the gain higher or opppisite or somewhere between,ive been mainly reccording acoustic, electric guitar and vocals with it,i find most of the time i will end up using around 30-36 gain with about -7-12 trim settings,it seems to do te trik in terms of a steady input signal!!

im not sure what situation would ask for up to 72 seting in gain as ive never incountered a signal that nededs that much boosting,maybe distant room mic??

so could someone plz explain why u need trim at all??

thanks

yeah and the ULN2 totally rocks my socks,im soooo glad i went with it

[michael.lee]

Think of it as two different functions that let you get control over your input - Gain let's you add power to the preamp, but only in big steps. Trim let's you pull down the power level, after it's been gained, and gives you sweepable control, so you can set it to any level. Trim gives you much more precise control over the level settings.

 

Gaining up a signal and then trimming it back more allows for more of the preamp texture to get into the sound (sometimes a good thing!). Gaining down and using less trim allows you to push less power through the preamp, thus getting less coloration on the sound. On the ULN-2 this isn't a very noticable difference, since the preamps themselves are so clean, but on preamps with a more "signature" sound, the gaining and trimming can deliver noticable coloration to the sound.

 

As far as why you might want 72 dB of gain, not all mics put out the same signal level. Some mics deliver a very low signal, and require significantly more preamp level to raise them up to useable input level for A/D conversion.

[Atreyu]

thankyou mate!! great info